Lake Atitlan, Panajachel, Guatemala

Saturday, May 28, 2011

My Blogging Home

This past weekend I set up a Wordpress account, as I've been worried about what might happen here in Bloggerville. I was able to import my posts from 2009 and 2010 but none of the ones this year. Not sure why, I'm still learning the ropes over there.

As I gaze at my new Wordpress account with its relative newness and emptiness, I realize that here on Coming Down the Mountain is where I belong. It is here where friendships have been forged, frustrations and joys shared, followers added and counted one by one, comments read and rejoiced over, where my soul has been laid bare. You cried with me when my mother died. This is my blogging home.

I started it in June, 2009, with my plaintive first post which I later deleted because it sounded so pathetic. It took me an entire year to get twenty-five followers. When people I didn't know started following me I was ecstatic. I ignored all the "writers need websites" talk and kept right on blogging.  

This is essentially my website and seems sufficient. Maybe if I get famous and have zillions of fans, I will want the distance a website gives. In that case, I'm all prepared with a site at Wordpress. *grin*

42 comments:

  1. And look at you now, with over 800 followers! I'm glad you didn't move, I have trouble with change. I started to do Wordpress once too, but found blogger easier.

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  2. I'm glad you are still here. I have a wordpress sight too, just in case I need to eventually move over. Blogger is easier though.

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  3. I'm glad you are here 'cause I would have no idea how to find you over there.

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  4. Karen, I keep wanting to set up a Wordpress account too but like you said, Blogger is so comfortable and homelike, it's hard to imagine being anywhere else. Even thought Blogger has seriously been worrying me!

    Jai

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  5. I get confused by both blogger and wordpress - slightly less so by bloggers. So go team.

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  6. i've been with blogger since 2005 and have seen its ups and downs. more downs lately, but i'm sticking with it because it's easy and i like the features.

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  7. Hi Karen .. have you got KarenJonesGowen.com domain .. or the ComingDowntheMountain.com domain .. because then you'd redirect from those names to whereever your blog is .. at least that's what I understand - maybe somewill tell me I'm wrong here!

    Anyway I guess things will get sorted - but being able to comment on every blog would be a good start .. I'm still on blogger - for now!

    I use the name/URL "comment as" or the "Open ID" and type my details in .. irritating, but I'm fed up with being bombed out.

    Good to see you back .. and isn't it slow to start with but the community grows not quite like topsy .. but everyone is just fun to be around .. cheers and enjoy this Memorial weekend ..Hilary

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  8. Yay for your bloggie home! But the way blogger is so wobbly these days - it's good to have a second one!

    Of course you will be famous one day!!!

    Take care
    x

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  9. LOL. I'm glad you're not moving! I like having you here!

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  10. PS: don't forget to fill in my form!!!

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  11. I've often considered moving to Wordpress, but I'm comfortable and happy with where I am. Glad to see I'm not alone in that feeling.

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  12. Rebecca, I think I also just wanted to see what it was like to open a blog at a new site. And I did it, yay me! Now I think I might even be able to navigate Jessica's form....

    Hilary, yes I reserved the name karenjonesgowen.com, for you know, when I get famous.

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  13. Karen, let me ask you a few questions: Once I leave the Hollow, relocating to CT, I'll want to transition to a blog with a new name. I know I came change the title, but the URL I have is not through blogspot...it is a domain called "jp-homeinthehollow.com". Can I change the name of the domain so everything imports? My email is "ibjp2004@gmail.com"..:)JP

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  14. While they say that a change is as good as a holiday, there's so much comfort in the familiar, isn't there. Welcome home!

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  15. You know its funny, as a writer I often hope for the zillion fans, BUT I do love the fact that my blog allows me to have a conversation with people who have read my book (all 40 of them...he he). A zillion fans and a million copies sold is, of course, the dream... but I do hope I never have to step back from the conversation.

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  16. I know exactly what you mean. I've made so many friends through Blogger. I hope they fix these latest glitches soon.

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  17. We only started January of this year, but know what you mean about this being 'home'... We are flustered at the problems, but guess that is how is goes at times, nothing is perfect in every way !
    We had to do a lot of things just to be able to get logged in and be able to post comments, but finally are able to today, hope tomorrow will allow it as well !

    ENJOY
    JL&B

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  18. Karen, we'd follow you anywhere! And I'm glad you're not changing "you" and becoming all fancy and stuff.

    On this Memorial Day, I wanted to send you and your son a big THANKS for his service.

    Blessings....

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  19. Even if you were on Wordpress, I'd still read your blog. But I know what you mean about Blogger; I've been having problems with it for a week now. I can't leave comments on most people's blogs, and I can't follow new blogs (nor can anyone follow me because the follower widget seems to be missing every other time I log on). That's also why I had to leave a comment as Name/URL rather than through my Google account.

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  20. Funny little thing, those Avatars, reminding us of who is Following...
    It's hard not to look over and wonder...who's next!

    I'm glad you are hanging in with Blogger - life is full of glitches, this place has them too - sometimes the devil you know is just easier to deal with.

    I hope you have been enjoying your Memorial Day weekend.

    Cheers, Jenny

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  21. I feel the same as you. When the time comes, then I'll build something more formal, but so far, blogger, and blogging here, takes care of me.

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  22. Stay here, Karen!

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  23. I wouldn't want a website now - I like the community here.

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  24. I'm glad you're staying here! Thanks for visiting my blog, Karen! Really appreciate it, even in my absence you were there! :) Thank you! :)

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  25. I getcha. I am still wondering as blogspot seems a bit...well...spotty at the moment but the thought of a new address and all makes me weary. oh and it is doing it - I just tried to post this and it is doing that weird anonymous thingy. So, it is Jan Morrison www.labanan.blogspot.com yikes!

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  26. I've been pretty annoyed with Blogger this week, but I'd never move. You have to start from scratch and get all new followers. And I love the Dashboard and "follow" features.

    A blog is technically a website. You can have all your info here and even a buy button for your books that links to Amazon or your publisher's site. Jane Friedman says every author needs a website you can update yourself, which is what a blog is.

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  27. Hi Karen. I worked my way around blogger probs eventually. There was a way to comment. Pop up comment boxes always worked, drop downs like yours didn't until I found a way. You had to click off the 'stay signed in' then you did stay signed in. Genius. I also loaded Google Chrome and everything is working like a dream. Apparently the new Internet Explorer isn't very compatible with blogger.

    I started off on Wordpress. Blogger is so much better/easier. I especially hate the comment box on Wordpress blogs, but some people have set them to auto fill which is much better than having to fill in 3 fields every time.

    Glad you didn't abandon ship. A lot to export!

    PS. Following on from your post re having a simple, plain blog, did you find mine any quicker when you commented today?

    Denise<3

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  28. I used to do Wordpress as well, but I found it more difficult to navigate and not nearly as many of my friends and connections were on it. I've enjoyed looking through your blog, I'm following and hoping to join you on this Blogger journey ;-)

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  29. you put that brilliantly!

    glad to be part of it - and you of me (or something :)


    Aloha from Honolulu

    Comfort Spiral

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  30. Having spent most of the last month moving from one home to another, I can sympathise. But the new home is my home now; I'll figure out things from here.

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  31. I'm glad you'll stay with us on blogger for now. What I don't get, why were you worried in the first place?

    I wish there was an easy way for all the blogger and wordpress and livejournals to communicate as much as we do on blogger. I hope your imports from this year work out somehow. Maybe the year needs to be finished or complete.
    Nahno ∗ McLein

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  32. Blogger's awesome. I know people on both wordpress and blogger. Some like one some like the other. I like blogger. =)

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  33. I'm so glad you said this. I use blogger like a website as well. Happy Memorial Day!

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  34. I know exactly what you mean!!! FB is my family place, blogger is my writer friend place. Twitter... well, it's a new place. :D <3

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  35. Know what you mean. Before I knew about Blogger, I started with a Wordpress blog. WP is really complicated for me and I'm so glad I found all the wonderful friends through Blogger.
    Manzanita@Wannabuyaduck

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  36. I have a Wordpress account byt am not doing anything with it. I'll stay with Blogger, even though it can be a pain at times.

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  37. Move or stay...
    I'm following you either way Karen!

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  38. Wordpress is a great home, welcome!

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  39. Girl, it seems to me you already are famous! Blogs are so personal and I like that.

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  40. Thank goodness!
    We would have all missed you terribly!

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  41. Well, I'm still here and if Blogger crashes (not that I think it will) we will all move to Wordpress in mass. That's what happened to my Vox blogging friends. I came to Blogger because I had already set up a blog here, but most of the others went to Wordpress. *hello, flamingodancer!*

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  42. Yay - the Bloggosphere wouldn't be the same without CDTM!

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